PH won’t resort to racial card in Semenyih by-election – Anwar

Anwar with Mahahtir at the function on National Anti-corruption plan (photo credit : Twitter)

KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan Harapan (PH) is ready to face the UMNO-PAS alliance in the Semenyih state by-election set for March 2 with the possibility that the opposition would play up racial-religious sentiments to win votes.

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president said that PH would not resort to racial issues but would instead focus on delivering its promises to help uplift the people’s well-being.

“I’m optimistic that we have the right policy, go down to serve the people, we will be able to manage,” he told reporters after the closing of the 2019 Malaysia Economic and Strategic Outlook Forum here today.

He noted that racial issues played up by the opposition contributed to the PH defeat in the just-concluded Cameron Highlands parliamentary by-election.

“But I think that contrary to general perception, it’s not right to say that the race card is too relevant. It’s how we deliver (pledges to the people),” he said.

The Semenyih by-election is being held following the death of assemblyman Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, 57, of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), of a heart attack on Jan 11.